Sir, – As the days shorten and more of us are driving in darkness, the problem of being dazzled by oncoming headlights is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Like many drivers, I find modern LED headlights particularly difficult to deal with, and I do not believe this is simply a matter of ageing eyesight.
A report, published by the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory last October, surveyed 1,850 drivers and found that more than half reported that they had reduced or stopped driving at night, or would do so if they could, because of headlamp glare. Its road trials also found associations between reported glare and high luminance.
The issue was raised in the Dáil last year. The Minister of State, Seán Canney, responded that EU type-approved headlights are considered safe and that the department had no plans to review the matter.
RM Block
But this misses an important factor. The problem is not simply the amount of light produced by a headlamp. Modern LED systems can produce extremely high luminance from small, concentrated light sources.
The question, therefore, is whether existing approval requirements adequately address the glare experienced by drivers, rather than simply whether a headlamp has passed a type-approval test.
This is not just an Irish issue. The United Nations body responsible for vehicle lighting standards established a taskforce on glare prevention last year, and its work has continued through 2026.
The Road Safety Authority advises drivers who are dazzled to slow down and, if necessary, stop. That may be sensible advice for an occasional problem, but it is hardly an adequate response if dazzling headlights are becoming a routine feature of night driving.
An Irish study of headlamp glare and its potential implications for road safety would be a sensible place to start.
If we know drivers are being dazzled, the responsible approach is to investigate before it contributes to incidents on our roads. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL O’MEARA,
Fenor,
Co Waterford.
